Bordeaux 2010 at Two Years: Margaux
Pity poor Margaux. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. First, putting to one side for a moment the propensity of Château Margaux and Château Palmer to succeed even when the vintage has thrown every type of merde at the vines, the wines of other châteaux frequently disappoint compared to what their peers in Pauillac and St Julien have managed to achieve. In fact, this is a rule which seems to hold true in a number of good vintages as well as those more challenging. Secondly, as a consequence of this occasionally lacklustre performance, combined with the fact that there are just so many châteaux here, including a significant number of perennial under-performers, I have on occasion – only when short of tasting time – stopped short of tasting every wine in this commune. This does not reflect any dislike of the communal style; it is just that, when tasting (and writing reasonably detailed notes) on so many wines in one day, something, somewhere has to give.
Put these thoughts of under-performance, disappointment and partial assessments to one side in 2010 though. In this vintage (and in 2009, to be fair) Margaux’s time has come!
Just as was the case in 1983 (I’m sure there are more recent parallels, but this one springs immediately to mind), 2010 is a Margaux vintage. Sadly, rather like 1983, its achievements are perhaps destined to be overlooked in a sea of success elsewhere. Thirty years ago nobody cared what Margaux had achieved, because several corners of the wine press (not just Parker, despite the apocryphal story that he alone ‘called’ the vintage) were heaping praise on the 1982 vintage. In the 2010 vintage, however, the wines of Margaux must shine not only against the backdrop of success in the preceding vintage, the luscious wines of 2009 which have had so many leading critics slathering like rabid bull dogs, but also broad success in 2010. There’s a significant chance these wines will remain relatively overlooked. Watch out for this commune in this vintage; there could be some good deals to be had here. Well, we can hope, can’t we?
